Vendor drops snake?. . . accuses rivals of framing her

Julia N`andu Weekender Reporter
A MIDDLE-AGED Chikanga vendor allegedly dropped a snake from her bra last Friday at Sakubva Musika in a nasty incident that has sent tongues wagging in the sprawling suburb.

The woman, only identified as Mai Mapfunde or Mai Linda, is said to have kept the snake for so many years, helping enhance her vegetable vending business until the serpent’s demands became too hot for her to handle recently.

When The Weekender visited her at her vending stall on Tuesday morning, Mai Linda reluctantly agreed to have an interview where she denied the allegations.

“It is the work of people who hate me. Nothing of that sort ever happened.

“I challenge anyone here who claims to have seen what you are referring to come forward and say that in my face.

“I declare that whoever is tarnishing my name be punished, go back to sender,” she shouted.

Mai Mapfunde or Mai Linda at her ever busy vending stall in Chikanga Phase One on Tuesday

However, most of her workmates could be seen shying away in clear fear of victimisation while avoiding camera lenses.

On the day in question, Mai Mapfunde is said to have told people passing by that the snake was not hers and that she had inherited the vending stall from someone else.

This, however, prompted people to think that she had also inherited the snake as well.

This incident happened when Mai Mapfunde went to Sakubva Market to buy vegetables for reselling at her vending stall at Chikanga Phase One vending point.

A fellow vendor, who declined to be named for fear of victimisation, said that they were now working in fear because of her rituals.

She said they were happy that it had been exposed.

“Our lives here have been living hell because this woman use charms to woo more customers. Now that the issue of how she is making her money is out we hope things will be normal at this selling point,” she said.